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Village Adoption Center seeks homes for animals

Shandy is special – just look at her vibrant eyes. She has a bit of filling out to do, and at 50 pounds now will probably be a bit heavier when grown. She is loving and wants to be near people and touch them, though she may be a little large for a lap. The Adoption Center thinks she will respond well to training, as she wants to please. Shandy should become a wonderful family dog.

What a beautiful Australian Shepherd girl is Lexie. She appears to be purebred, but the AWL said they couldn’t be sure. She is about two years old, and she may be deaf. But she is calm and gentle and would be a great pet for a family with another dog that she can take her cues from and follow.

Brittany is a gorgeous Tortie who has medium long hair. She will be a real beauty when she grows up. She is about three and a half months old now. She was born to a feral mother behind O’Brien’s restaurant on Highway 5, and the Animal Welfare League trapped her and her three siblings. She is socialized and really loves people. However, Brittany probably needs to be an only kitty as she doesn’t like other cats. She is pretty and actually a dainty little girl.

By CAROLE SJOLANDER

Staff writer

The Hot Springs Village Animal Welfare League’s main focus is to save as many animals as they can by finding adoptive homes for them, and by operating spay and neuter clinics to reduce the number of unwanted animals.

Currently they have an abundance of cats and dogs ready for adoption – in fact, so many that they won’t fit in the Adoption Center. For this reason, many are in foster homes where they can be loved and socialized until they are placed in what the AWL calls their “fur-ever home.”

Anyone interested in adopting a dog or cat can find information on all those currently available by calling the Adoption Center (formerly the Animal Shelter) at 915-9337.

For information on available cats call 922-6444; for information on available dogs call 922-0442. Information is also available on AWL’s website: www.hsvawl.org. Click on Adopt-a-Pet or Petfinder on the homepage.

The AWL is making plans to show some of the adoptable pets each Thursday at the Green Market in The Grove, just east of the Ponce de Leon Center.

They hope to start this at the Aug. 7 market, so that will be another opportunity for Villagers to meet their future pets.

The Adoption Center, located near the Balboa gate at 195 Cloaca Lane in Hot Springs Village, is open 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Many grandparents enjoy taking their grandchildren there to see the animals. And others visit regularly to see what is available. Most of the animals are in foster homes, but appointments to see any of them can be arranged with a telephone call.

Those who are reluctant to make the commitment of adoption, might want to volunteer as a foster home. Volunteers are needed for many other things, so there is a job for anyone who wants to help the AWL serve its mission.

Some volunteers are dog walkers, some deliver donated cat food to resident homes outside HSV. AWL reaches out to these kind caregivers who feed stray and feral cats that come on to their property.

They often do not have transportation to get donated food. Contact Nancy Jones 922-6444 to help on an as-needed basis. And some volunteers work at the shelter one or two days a month.

Call League president Mary McCullough at 915-8459 for information on volunteering.

The AWL launched their “Champions” program earlier this year. Champions commit to donate $10 a month for a specified period. Each month a Champion’s name is randomly drawn and becomes the winner of a cash prize based on the amount of money in the fund. The drawing is held at the AWL’s monthly meeting and the donor does not have to be present to win.

Linda and Gil Shearer were the winners of $340 in July, but “the AWL was the big winner,” said Sarah Yerkes, who handles the Champions program. The next drawing will be on Aug. 21.

The AWL has its Arkansas state raffle license now, so it no longer limits participation to AWL members. The Champions will provide $18,000 annually to support the AWL when fully subscribed at 200.

Forms and information are available on the website or by contacting Sarah Yerkes at sjyerkes@gmail.com.